"LET ME WIN. BUT IF I CAN NOT WIN, LET

ME BE BRAVE IN THE ATTEMPT."

This inspiring motto is the Special Olympics athlete oath. The heart of the We Are Up project is our neighbors and friends with disabilities. We are looking forward to hosting a barbecue in honor of Humboldt County Special Olympics athletes next month. They have been training and working hard, preparing to represent Humboldt County in games in several locations out of the area. Every sport has its exciting moments, from swimming to track and field to bocce. When we watch athletes clap and cheer each time a teammate does their best, we know we all have something to learn from these participants. Sportsmanship, encouragement, and JOY!

We Are Up thanks Douglas Reed, President of Green Diamond, who donated $14,030 from The President's Fund toward needed supplies for the We Are Up greenhouse! Reed, pictured above with Board member Claudia Lima and Founder Mary Keehn, spent the afternoon learning about the project and touring the site. Reed stated: "Green Diamond is proud to support We Are Up and its vision for a brighter future for all in McKinleyville." You can read more about the generous donation here...

We are so grateful to Humboldt County and Housing Forward Humboldt for granting $107,000 from the Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program (PLHA) to We Are Up to help with infrastructure improvements. We have been able to add 3 parcels on Central Avenue that adjoin our Weirup Lane property giving us the ability to move our Community Center and most of the housing to commercially zoned parcels. The PLHA grant will be used to help clean up one of the parcels for future improvements.

Play it safe and add the 3rd Annual SPOOKTACULAR to your calendar. Friday, October 25th at the Blue Lake Casino!

With Gratitude,

The We Are Up Board of Directors and Volunteers